distressed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressednext
1
as in troubled

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2
as in depressed

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Dissimilar Words

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
Forman was distressed to find that civics teachers often avoided looking at specific political issues of the day, judging them to be too controversial. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026 These slim-fit cut-off jean shorts offer a modern take on the classic jorts, with a distressed look and stretchy material for comfort. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
Denim shirts were slim and distressed with markings and patchwork. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 9 July 2026 Some users were distressed last year after OpenAI made changes that made the bot less people-pleasing. — Aria Bendix, NBC news, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
  1. troubled
  2. depressed
  3. alarmed
  4. agitated
  5. reduced
  6. disturbed
  7. ruined
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the last decade Germany has sheltered millions of refugees, mainly from Syria and other troubled countries in the Middle East.
    — Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • Quietly depressed, a wife to Reuben (Tracy Letts, Coon’s real-life partner) and mother to Ella (Bella Ramsey) and Jo (Odessa Young), Rita holds a monotonous desk job at a bank by day, and tends to her family by night as part of her humdrum routine.
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Sprague conceded Clancy had mental health issues and was depressed.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • In New Jersey, the op-ed authors were alarmed by the bond’s staggering price and the impact that would have on the state.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Such military cooperation has alarmed Israel, which is increasingly distrustful of Turkey’s intentions in the region.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • Reddington looked visibly agitated while in the courtroom, both during sidebar — at which Clancy was present — and during Sullivan’s instructions.
    — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Officers described the videos recorded by that camera, writing that Westman seemed agitated after a visit with family and at times sobbed before driving by the church and school the night before the attack.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Then the reduced group of selectors will go immediately into discussion on the merits of that candidate.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Other advantages of what Belkin is calling its BoostSolid Cell technology include a reduced risk of overheating that could cause swelling or fires and consistent power delivery across a wider temperature range.
    — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • But for anyone disturbed by the way To Catch a Predator executes its faux-law enforcement busts, the movie risks becoming viscerally unpleasant.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So grotesque that even the DP and the focus puller were disturbed.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • Over a quarter of students in high-income countries complained their classmates got distracted by digital devices in most or every science class.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers found that people who distracted themselves from an itch actually had worse inflammation than those who didn’t.
    — Richard Sima, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracted

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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